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The Art of the Brick Media Preview and Exclusive Tour with Artist Nathan Sawaya

The World's Largest Display of LEGO® Art Will Debut at the Fleet Science Center on Friday, September 30, 2016. Artist Nathan Sawaya is Available for Interview and Media Preview on Thursday, September 29, 2016, at 10 a.m.

September 19, 2016

San Diego—Named one of CNN's Top Ten "Global Must-See Exhibitions," The Art of the Brick is a critically acclaimed collection of inspiring artworks made exclusively from one of the most recognizable toys in the world, the LEGO® brick. The exhibition makes its Southern California debut on Friday, September 30, 2016, at the Fleet Science Center in San Diego. Contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya, creator of The Art of the Brick, will be hosting an exclusive media preview of the exhibition on Thursday, September 29, at 10 a.m. at the Fleet.

Designed to inspire ingenuity and creativity, The Art of the Brick is the world's largest and most elaborate display of LEGO art featuring more than 100 works of art. The collection features original pieces as well as re-imagined versions of some of the world's most famous art masterpieces, like Van Gogh's Starry Night and Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, made exclusively from LEGO bricks. The exhibition also features a gallery showcasing an innovative, multimedia collection of LEGO brick-infused photography produced with award-winning photographer Dean West.

Visitors will have the opportunity to get up-close and in-person with the fan favorite, Yellow, a life-size sculpture of a man ripping his chest open with thousands of yellow LEGO bricks cascading from the cavity. Visitors will also be able to walk under a 20-foot-long T-Rex dinosaur skeleton made out of bricks and come face-to-face with a giant LEGO skull.

"The Art of the Brick takes LEGO somewhere you wouldn't expect and shows you things you have never seen before," said artist Sawaya. "The goal with this collection of art is to demonstrate the potential of imagination and the power of creativity."

The Art of the Brick is the first major museum exhibition to use LEGO bricks as the sole art medium. Previously a New York city corporate lawyer and now a full-time artist, Sawaya transforms LEGO bricks into tremendous and thought-provoking sculptures, elevating the toy to the realm of art. His unique exhibition is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on LEGO bricks as an art medium and has broken attendance records around the globe. The creations, constructed from countless individual LEGO pieces, were built from standard bricks beginning as early as 2002.

Sawaya's ability to transform this common toy into something meaningful, his devotion to spatial perfection and his conceptualization of action enable him to elevate a medium almost every child has played with into the status of contemporary art.

"The Fleet is thrilled to feature an exhibition as exciting and innovative as The Art of the Brick ," said Dr. Steve Snyder, CEO of the Fleet Science Center. "Our visitors are inquisitive at heart and driven to explore. The creative designs of The Art of the Brick can inspire young scientists and aspiring engineers in a fun and inviting way. Our hope is that this exhibition will help the Fleet empower people of all ages to connect with the wonder and creative possibilities of science."

Tickets are on sale now for this critically acclaimed collection of creative and inspiring pieces constructed using only LEGO bricks by renowned contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya.

The Art of the Brick at the Fleet Science Center will be on display from September 30, 2016, through January 29, 2017.

To reserve your space at the exclusive media preview of The Art of the Brick with artist Nathan Sawaya on Thursday, September 29, from 10-11 a.m., please contact Fleet Science Center Public Relations Manager Nathan Young at 619-685-5743 or nyoung@rhfleet.org.

Mr. Sawaya will begin the preview with a brief introduction then lead members of the media through a tour of the exhibition, grant interviews and answer any questions.

Additional interviews and media tours of the exhibition can be scheduled by appointment.

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FOR MEDIA ONLY:

You're invited to the VIP Preview Party!

Members of the media are also invited to join us for the VIP preview party for The Art of the Brick on Thursday, September 29, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Enjoy cocktails and tray-passed hors d'oeuvres when you arrive. There will be a brief introduction from Steve Snyder, CEO of the Fleet Science Center, and Nathan Sawaya, the artist who created The Art of the Brick, before opening the exhibition for attendees to see.

If you and a guest would like to attend the VIP preview party for The Art of the Brick, please RSVP to Nathan Young, Fleet Science Center Public Relations and Promotions Manager, at 619-685-5743 or nyoung@rhfleet.org. Space is limited. RSVP by Thursday, September 22, 2016.

Former NYC corporate lawyer turned contemporary artist, Nathan Sawaya is the first artist ever to take the LEGO brick into the art world as a medium. Sawaya has earned a top position in the world of contemporary art and has created a new dimension by merging Pop Art and Surrealism in awe-inspiring and groundbreaking ways. Sawaya's touring exhibition - The Art of the Brick® - has entertained and inspired millions of art lovers and enthusiasts around the world. CNN heralded, The Art of the Brick is one of the top ten "must-see exhibits in the world!" Sawaya is an author, speaker and one of the most popular, award-winning contemporary artists of our time. For more information visit www.brickartist.com.

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About the Fleet Science Center:

The Fleet Science Center connects people of all ages to the possibilities and power of science to create a better future. At the science center, you can explore and investigate more than 100 interactive exhibits that pique your curiosity and become immersed in an IMAX film adventure that shows the wonders of the planet--and beyond--in the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. For young science enthusiasts, the Fleet hosts school field trips, science workshops and educational camps. For adults, we offer events like Fleet Night of Science and community events, such as Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar™. In the community, we also provide free neighborhood science events weekly through 52 Weeks of Science. Teachers are encouraged to join our Teacher Partner Program and take advantage of our professional development opportunities. Additionally, at the Fleet Science Center, visitors will find unique educational toys and games, books, IMAX DVDs and more in the North Star Science Store, and pizzas, sandwiches, salads and healthy treats in our Craveology cafe. Located in Balboa Park, at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Blvd., the Fleet is San Diego's science center. Science starts here and opens a world of possibility.For information regarding current admission prices, visit our website at fleetscience.org.

About Balboa Park:

Located near downtown San Diego, Balboa Park is the largest urbancultural park in the United States. First established by the City of San Diego in 1868, it is also one of the oldest city parks in the nation and is the most visited single destination in San Diego. Its 1,200 acres include 17 museums, many gardens and attractions, the San Diego Zoo, miles of hiking trails, and multiple athletic complexes to explore and discover. For more information, visit balboapark.org.